Löwenbräu

The name Löwenbräu first appeared in Munich's brewing records in 1746/47, though the brewery traces its origins to a beer made by the proprietor of the Munich tavern Zum Löwen in 1383. Georg Brey acquired the brewery in 1818, and he and his son Ludwig relocated it to Nymphenburger Strasse between 1826 and 1851. By 1863/64, Löwenbräu was producing approximately a quarter of all beer in Munich, having become the city's leading brewer. The brewery was converted into a joint-stock company in 1872, operating under the name Aktienbrauerei zum Löwenbräu. By 1900 it was one of the biggest breweries in Europe, and it eventually became Germany's largest brewery.

The lion emblem was officially registered as a trademark in 1886. The Löwenbräukeller beer garden near Stiglmaierplatz opened in 1883. Löwenbräu has been one of the six breweries permitted to serve at Munich's Oktoberfest, with a presence at every event since 1810. The brewery produces its own malt and uses hops from Bavaria.

Löwenbräu signed its first licensing agreements for the United States and England in 1974, and by the mid-1980s was being exported to 140 countries. The brewery merged with the Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu group in 1997, and InBev acquired the group's brewery operations in 2004. Löwenbräu is today a brand owned by AB InBev, with its beers available in more than 50 countries and production joint ventures across dozens of markets. The alcohol-free pale lager has won awards.